The Christmas Party

The Ice Queen

"Fair. How long from the time we were introduced until we started dating?"

"How long did it take you to fall in love with me?"

"With your charm and that huge chip on your shoulder? It took a while."

Jennie crossed her arms. "Especially because I found you so insufferably annoying."

"Rude."

Jennie raised her eyebrows and smirked.

"Fine. We both have our undeniable flaws that pushed us away from each other; but that makes it perfect! We have the whole 'hated each other at first but now we love each other' like all those movies you love on Netflix."

"There's always a moment when everything changes for those characters. So when, pray tell, did you fall in love with me, Jisoo Dearest?"

I leaned onto my hand and studied Jennie across the table, taking in the curve of her eyebrows, the strong eyes, the curve of her lips, her smooth skin. While I studied her, her features slowly softened: Jennie was carved of marble, a beauty that life slowly chipped away at to reveal a stunning piece of art, but that meant that there were still jagged edges and sharp corners that promised to cut anyone who came too close. She always had her guard up, poised and ready to fight, even if it was just me and Taehyung. I still remembered how cold she was to me for the first year of my friendship with Taehyung, but the longer I stayed in her orbit, the longer I clung to her side and refused to be pushed away by her sarcasm, her disinterest, her intensity, the softer her edges became; I found myself able to dance around all the sharp points meant to deter me.

As I sat across from her, I watched her jagged edges soften. I forgot how to breathe.

Jennie was beautiful.

Jennie tilted her head to the side in question but the waitress interrupted our moment and I snapped out of whatever trance I'd been caught up in.

"Hi ladies, how are we this evening?" the friendly waiter asked.

"Great, thanks. Can we get a glass of your red blend and waters."

"Of course!" The waiter skipped away.

"You were saying?" Jennie said, studying me with a curious gaze.

"Uh, what were we talking?"

Jennie chuckled, amused. "We were talking about how we fell in love."

"One day I realized you weren't as cold as you make yourself appear and I liked what I saw," I answered truthfully. Jennie studied me, her eyes bouncing all over my face like she was trying to read a language she didn't know quite yet. I cleared my throat, unable to stay under the weight of her gaze. "And you? When did you fall in love with me?"

"When you started to bring me coffee," she replied instantly.

"That was fast."

"You want a believable story. I'm pulling from reality. It will be easier than making up lies if Soojoo asks something neither of us are prepared for."

"I'm really happy you're my fake girlfriend for this; you're an expert."

"Even if I was your desperation choice?"

"You're clearly the best choice. I would have asked you first if I thought even for a moment you would have said yes."

Jennie laughed and the waiter returned with our drinks and took our orders. With wine between us our conversation became easier and Jennie, always so tightly wound, began to unfurl.

"Since our whole backstory is covered, what should we talk about?"

"Ball's in your court," Jennie quipped.